Ethernet and Phone over existing cat5 wiring

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Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › Ethernet and Phone over existing cat5 wiring

joutei

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Topic # 112982 31-Dec-2012 12:35
Basically was looking into using my existing wiring to have ethernet connections around the house (two story) where there are line jackpoints. I read this artice, seems pretty straight forward. http://www.instructables.com/id/Hack-your-House-Run-both-ethernet-and-phone-over-/ However, one part that confuses me is how will the ethernet part of the cabling know which jack is connected to which. My basic understanding is that jacks are all linked together like a loop. Sorry if I may come across stupid in anyway, just trying to expand my knowledge and know if I should be attempting this.

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Reply # 738847 31-Dec-2012 12:55
This will work fine if you have the ethernet cabling run in a star configuration. If it is daisy chained, it will work for phone but not for ethernet (if you plug multiple devices into multiple ethernet ports on one daisy chain). It might be best to get a LAN tester (they are cheap on trademe). Then you can figure out where your ethernet cable goes. You can then daisy chain the phone part but leave the ethernet part alone on the parts of the daisy chain that you aren't going to have devices on. Hopefully that makes sense! Note also that this won't work for gigabit as gigabit needs the whole four pairs so the most you will get it 10/100. Cheers, Matt. Galaxy SIII, Galaxy Note 10.1, ASUS UX31e Ultrabook, Mysky HDi, 2talk

RunningMan

1337 posts

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Reply # 738849 31-Dec-2012 13:02
I think in the example you have listed, they still have a star wired type set-up, with each cable coming back separately to a central point. They also have Cat5 cable already installed, which is what is needed for ethernet (although 10BaseT can go on Cat3, it's pretty old school). You can just buy a plug in splitter whcih allows for phone and network from the same outlet for a few dollars, so it looks like they have done it the hard way!! If you have 2 pair (not twisted pair) phone wiring in daisy chain config (each jack looped to the next), you won't be able to do it. What type of cable do you have (photo would help), and how are the jacks wired to each other?

joutei

233 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 738854 31-Dec-2012 13:13
Hey guys , thanks for the quick responses. I definately have cat 5 cabling and I will take a picture once I get home tonight. Also one thing I forgot to mention is that there is a missing link in the garage somewhere. CoffeeBaron tried installing a master splitter, but he could not do it as we could not find the missing link, he tried his best (awesome guy). I was thinking of getting an electrician to try find that missing link and then have the master splitter installed after that. Not sure how much this is going to cost for an electrician to find a missing link though. So either way I think I may have to get this missing link sorted first!

RunningMan

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Reply # 738855 31-Dec-2012 13:15
joutei: I definately have cat 5 cabling and I will take a picture once I get home tonight. Does each run of Cat5 go back to a central place, or is each jack just connected to the next one along the line?

joutei

233 posts

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Reply # 738858 31-Dec-2012 13:25
There is not central box or central point, so its pretty much a daisy chain ?

coffeebaron

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Reply # 738886 31-Dec-2012 14:08
Yep, two daisy chains. One downstairs chain, and one upstairs chain, with a missing link between the two :( Chorus has spent $1.4 billion on making their ADSL broadband network faster. Why not spend a couple of hundred to make sure you are getting the most out of your connection? Geekzone special price: $150* for master splitter install, normally $200+ through your ISP. Auckland and Waikato areas. *Travel charges may apply. Additional costs may apply for complex installs. I install - Naked DSL, DSL Master Splitters, VoIP, RBI Rural Broadband. Also a dealer for WorldxChange. Need help in Auckland or Waikato? Click my email button, or email me direct: [my user name] at geekzonemail dot com

RunningMan

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Reply # 738900 31-Dec-2012 14:30
coffeebaron: Yep, two daisy chains. One downstairs chain, and one upstairs chain, with a missing link between the two :( Not this sort of missing link ;-) Was the house originally built as 2 flats perhaps? You may be able to use two pairs to run 100BaseT over, but it probably depends on how the joins have been done at each jack. Also, from where to where are you wanting the connection? Are both points on the same chain? Would it just be easier to run some new cable?

joutei

233 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 738901 31-Dec-2012 14:34
haha, I think you accidently linked Transitional Fossil on wikipedia. :P

RunningMan

1337 posts

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Reply # 738909 31-Dec-2012 14:59
joutei: haha, I think you accidently linked Transitional Fossil on wikipedia. :P They are a missing link ;-)

joutei

233 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 738918 31-Dec-2012 15:29
RunningMan: joutei: haha, I think you accidently linked Transitional Fossil on wikipedia. :P They are a missing link ;-) Haha! Sorry brain fart !

Zeon

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Reply # 738928 31-Dec-2012 16:10
What is the difference with connecting everything in a daisy chain via 10baseT against an old school hub? Sure the hub is powered by the concept is the same apart from the powering of each port?

RunningMan

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Reply # 738958 31-Dec-2012 17:54
Zeon: What is the difference with connecting everything in a daisy chain via 10baseT against an old school hub? Sure the hub is powered by the concept is the same apart from the powering of each port? 10BaseT only requires Cat3 cabling, not Cat5, so if you have some Cat3, and are desperate for a wired connection, then you could run 10BaseT, but at 10Mb/s it's pretty pedestrian by today's standards. You can't daisy chain 10BaseT, but could go single point to single point. If you want to daisy chain, you'd be looking at 10Base2 (remember that??!!).

richms

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Reply # 738964 31-Dec-2012 19:06
You can always stick a switch at each point along the daisy chain for the ethernet. And 100 meg will work over a short enough cat 3 cable. 15m was sweet as when I had it on the cable between 2 buildings. got 10ish MB/s on file copys so was close to the theoretical limit. Richard rich.ms

joutei

233 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 738972 31-Dec-2012 19:55
richms: You can always stick a switch at each point along the daisy chain for the ethernet. And 100 meg will work over a short enough cat 3 cable. 15m was sweet as when I had it on the cable between 2 buildings. got 10ish MB/s on file copys so was close to the theoretical limit. Do you mean at each jack , or just where the adsl router sits and where i would like the ethernet connection in the other jack. Im somewhat puzzled, if there is 1 daisy chain upstairs and 1 daisy chain downstairs, then wouldn't they both meet at the demarcation point. Sorry for all the questions :)

RunningMan

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Reply # 738973 31-Dec-2012 20:03
On each chain you could run one point to point connection - i.e. a switch to a computer, or AP. You could theoretically run a switch at each point along the daisy chain, by breaking the chain, and having each section of cable connected to an outlet at each end of the segment. It would be a pretty messy setup, and should be an absolute last resort though... Going back to square one, what are you trying to actually achieve?

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